Wednesday, November 4, 2015

In the Gym: Weekly Workouts

Getting back to a normal routine after a long vacation is
a bit challenging on several accounts. In addition to the multiple loads of
laundry, going back to work and actually cooking for myself, there comes the
struggle of working out again. I normally attempt to make it to the gym at
least four to five times a week. I will admit, I took full advantage of
vacation and enjoyed that two week break from working out. Although, I did take a
Muay Thai boxing class (more on that in an upcoming post) while I was there.

Why do I bring this up?
Well, it occurred to me that I’ve never really discussed anything in
relation to my gym life. Considering I spend a decent amount of time there, I
thought I would share a little about what I do to stay healthy. I’m not new to the gym world by
any means. After cheerleading all throughout high school, I knew going off to
college I had to keep the physical activity up to avoid the evil “freshman
fifteen”. For the most part, I routinely went to the gym throughout my college
days. When I made the move to Charleston, I found a gym, hired a personal
trainer for the first time and loved it. I felt so motivated and I also learned
a lot of new things that I could do on my own. I took a few classes but mainly
did the training during the week and weights on my own. I later became bored
with working out alone and decided to start attending classes regularly. Fast
forward to now, I have a fun group of girls that makes that hour of physical
activity so much more enjoyable. It’s so nice to have gym buddies to encourage
you when needed. Here’s what a typical week looks like for me.

Monday:

I start the week off with an hour long Synergy class, a group workout that consists of performing different exercises for one
minute each at different stations. It’s a total body workout and a great way to
start the week off.

Tuesday:

Depending on how sore I am, I either take a spin
class or a funk and weights class. Spin is pretty self-explanatory. Stationary
bikes, a dark room and a lot of sweating, pretty much sums up the cardio filled
hour. As for funk and weights, it’s basically an hour of heart raising cardio
through the use of a step, light hand weights and the incorporation of a dance move or two. The instructor is known for training hundreds
of beauty pageant contests and really knows how to keep the class entertained. The
class is different each week, which keeps things interesting.

Wednesday:

I typically like to solely focus on cardio mid-week. The other
classes I take are high intensity and sometimes a good run is needed. I’m not a
huge fan of running, but I’ve come to realize that the more I do it, the easier
it gets. So, on Wednesday, the girls and I rotate from the elliptical to the
treadmill and sweat it out for an hour.

Thursday:

I step into the ring and break out the boxing gloves. We
begin the class with a “warm-up” that makes me tired before we even start. I
wasn’t sure if I was going to like boxing when I first took the class, but after a
few sessions and actually learning the technique, I became a fan. I now have my
own pair of gloves.

Friday:

This is my rest day, unless I was unable to make it one day
during the week, then, I will try to make it to the gym for a little cardio to
make up for it.

Saturday:

You can either find me at the barre, ballet barre that is or
at bikini boot camp. Barre focuses on small isometric movements that builds
core strength, improves posture, and overall tightens and sculpts the body.
It’s the complete opposite of the type of workout I get during the week,
creating quite the challenge. When I’m not attending barre, I take a bikini boot camp
class. This class varies from week to week and is a total body workout that
incorporates cardio and strength training.

I have to admit, it’s hard to drag
myself out of bed on a Saturday morning, which is why it’s important to have
those encouraging friends. As hard as it is to be disciplined, going to the gym makes
me feel so much better. It’s amazing how I feel when I don’t work out versus when
I do. Being physical, accompanied by a well-balanced diet, not only gives me
energy but also puts me in a better mood and also helps me sleep soundly. So,
if you’re considering joining a gym, don’t debate it any longer. Grab a friend, and
chase after those results you're looking for!